PostdocTransformation show for scienctists leaping into business
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Episode 0049 Shownotes
In this episode of the PostdocTransformation Show, Noma Mguni shares how she assists scientists having a voice outside of academia and mastering effective science communication. She is the founder and host of #PhDHardtalk (on YouTube, Tiktok, Instagram etc), and unveils the motivation behind her #projectdisseminationtotheworld and discusses the challenges faced by PhD students and professionals. She delves into social media strategies and managing multiple professional commitments. Let Noma inspire you with her entrepreneurial spirit!
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About our PostdocTransformation show
Invest in your PostdocTransformation. Welcome to the seasonal show for scientists leaping into business. In every sponsored episode, we are happy to recommend employers of choice for you. Make sure to check your readiness to leap out of science with us for free, as linked in the show notes. For your career transition, we offer customized career transition e-courses and memberships, also at graduate schools all over the world.
Maybe yours too. And if your university isn't yet our customer, enroll in your free email course for career transition made simple as linked in the show notes. I'm your host, Professor Dr. Eleonore Soei Winkels, with my team who is rooting for you. And let's build your PostdocTransformation with this episode.
[00:01:07] Meet Noma Mguni: Founder of PhD Hardtalk
Eleonore:
Today we are welcoming my friend who I found on TikTok when I had zero followers, I was just merely browsing TikTok videos and I found @phdhardtalk. So, without further ado, I want to welcome Noma Mguni, Master in International Business Management, and the stage is all yours to share about your project, Dissemination to the World, PhD Hard Talk.
Noma Mguni:
Thank you so much for having me, and thank you for being my friend and collaborating with me on some of the content. I think the Pirates of the Caribbean was the best that we ever did. Like, literally, it was spontaneous with my dog, but it was fun.
Eleonore:
Absolutely. I loved it. I really do love that. I tried to do things in TikTok, like I said, and you were game. whatever you would do, I would always endorse you.
Noma Mguni:
Thank you.
[00:02:10] The Vision and Impact of PhD Hardtalk
Noma Mguni:
So in terms of who I am, I'm Noma Mguni. I am the founder and the host of PhD Hardtalk, and PhD Hardtalk is about community in research. when I started my PhD at the University of Derby, I realized My research is only based in Derby and no one knows anything about it.
So, how do I disseminate my work and prove that I'm actually disseminating my work to the world. YouTube, right? Because my examiner can just type it in and they will find it. So, PhD Hardtalk was born and I've interviewed people from the US, Africa, Asia, Kuala Lumpur, that was when I thought I made it.
Mum, I made it! Because I've never been, never heard of it. And, I've spoken to so many people from different disciplines and to a point where I've spoken to somebody now who's a physician. in the US. And I never thought I would speak to an actual doctor in terms of medicine doctor. So that was like, I'm breaking the bias.
Look at me. But essentially, without the guest, Ph. D. Hardtalk would be nothing. So this is also a way of saying thank you and for believing in the vision that I thought of because I'm lazy. Lazy people are the best entrepreneurs and like literally we are.
[00:03:33] Challenges and Successes in Science Communication
Noma Mguni:
PhD Hardtalk is about giving us a voice. outside of academia and ensuring that the communities in which we go in and conduct our research, they understand what it is that we're doing and that sometimes we might not be breaking the barrier, but we're just adding onto the body of knowledge.
Essentially, for example, people who are looking at cancer, people are looking at malaria. I spoke to somebody who was looking at herbs in South Africa, in Limpopo to do with AIDS. That alone, to me, it takes a lot because AIDS, we've known about it. I mean, there's medicine now, but to know that we could potentially find a cure in herbs, breaking barriers, right?
So, PhD Hardtalk is about all of us and I make crazy content on TikTok to which my professional colleagues may not understand. You know, what is she doing? And I try and
Eleonore:
Keep going because I love it.
Noma Mguni:
But on Instagram, I try and be professional and on LinkedIn, I try and be more than professional, but then professional again, it's up to the person in terms of perception. that is PhD hard talk.
Eleonore:
I love it because PhD Hardtalk really, for me, is something where you share science communication, which is really important at the heart of every aspiring scientist, but also at the end of the day, I see videos where you share also advice on applying for scholarships and PhD vacancies and so much more.
[00:05:13] Upcoming Series and Future Plans
Eleonore:
I really do think that every early career scientist regardless of the location, you should also tune in to your YouTube channel, and I'll make sure that we link to that in the show notes so that you won't miss the new season that is upcoming, would you like to tease out the next videos, Noma?
Noma Mguni:
So, series five I think is really exciting because, I'll share an interesting fact about PhD HARDtalk that I've realized. It's more of my male colleagues that say yes around the world and when it comes to my, female colleagues, they're usually more hesitant and I believe in equity in terms of balance.
So, that's why sometimes there is a delay in terms of when the series actually comes out because there's more men that say yes and I'm like, where are the women, so in terms of what's coming up this series. I've spoken to physicians, which I've said that alone was like, amazing. I have spoken to some postdocs and some PhDs, but I'm currently looking for DBAs because I haven't spoken to a DBA. And If you are a DBA, please send a message. My details will be at the bottom and we can have a chat because that is the only missing link. I've spoken to master's students who are planning to go on to do their PhDs while they were waiting for their responses.
They were in China, moving to the US, which is exciting, but I haven't really spoken to them. This series is exciting because I have Physicians and I have PhDs in medicine and also humanities and, social sciences in that order. So, yeah, Series 5.
Eleonore:
Perfect. Then we'll make sure that all the DBAs looking to have a voice in the public, but also in science, we'll make sure that they will be appearing in your show. And as to your, imbalance of male versus female, I cannot really relate to that. all my guests so far are women, so maybe it's because I target women, maybe it's because I targeted the Underprivileged the underrepresented specifically, not so many male colleagues have the audacity to ask. They do ask. And I also interview them and I'll try to schedule them somewhere. But usually all the women I ask are prompt in answering, in replying.
So, in my next season, I'm so excited to have the future of work series, season, as I call it,
with a lot of thought leaders across the globe on different topics within their industry and the topic is always around the future of work. So whatever is top of mind that should be listened to from someone who is graduating from university, grad school or bachelor or undergrad, whatever it is, these are interesting episodes for everyone.
Noma Mguni:
It's interesting that women say yes to you. And then it's also interesting in terms of the future of work, because when we're looking at it at this moment in time, everything's becoming automized. And a lot of people be made redundant.
So, what are they actually going to do?
Eleonore:
And as you are also looking into HR topics, and I'm a professor for industrial occupational psychology, this is topic for many interviews, but really it is frightening for me as well, because I really do think that my students, when they enter the workforce, they will probably have to work with a lot of people who are not fit for the future of work and how to deal with that.
How to lead people who are not fit and how to work with machines. These are the challenges that young students will have to face. I'm probably 10 years older than you. I have always been working with people, but I have been working with AI for a year now, and I have to say that I actually enjoy working with AI, sometimes even more than with people.
Noma Mguni:
That's a given because people, they're complicated to work with.
Eleonore:
Exactly. The thing is really what I tried to teach my own students is to understand how they can utilize machines to achieve their business goals because business is done by people with people, not with machines.
Emotions are a human thing. Machines are not going to buy anything.
If the message is not a solution for a human problem, I'm not going to buy anything.
Science communication on TikTok, LinkedIn and Instagram - honing social media skills
Eleonore:
I want to switch gears to your platform again because I see that you have also mentioned that you are on TikTok and LinkedIn and you are on various platforms and you say that you are specifically trying to be more, business on LinkedIn and more fun on here.
And so do you think that the social media skills that you have gained, are they a natural thing? Where did you learn them? Because I know that they're not part of the curriculum at grad school or university. So how do you see a change in the science communication? Skills or requirements nowadays when you talk with a PhD students all over the world?
Noma Mguni:
In terms of communication, it is difficult. I've had feedback from different colleagues of mine who've said, you need to speak to people with more of a personality, for example, then you will get more views. And then I've had feedback that say, make it more glamorous in terms of your recording, because people eat with their eyes, they want to see something beautiful. when I started PhD Hardtalk, my staff, they'll back me up on this, I said, I don't want to follow trends, because if I have to follow trends, I will get tired, and I'm not organic to myself, and I'm not organic to the viewers, nor to anybody else. I want to be able to jump on, just as I've jumped on today. and be me, I'm not dressed in a suit. This is what you see on YouTube, a t shirt and I crack on, essentially, right? And I said, with trends, we can try to set out on trends as to who PhD HARDtalk is. Then there is brand awareness.
People know who PhD HARDtalk is from the communication, the way we write, because sometimes they'll get really annoyed if they've made grammatical errors. I said, it's normal. No one's perfect. I said, missing a, you know, vowel or messing up the sentence. It shows that we are normal human beings and perfection. doesn't exist in my opinion. We can strive towards perfection, but for us to get to that point where we say this is perfection, it's up to the individual, because I know the journey for PhD HARDtalk. So in terms of the trends and the communication, sometimes we might hop on a trend, but because I did drama as well, which is something most people don't know, so I did drama for When I was young, and then I did dance as well. So I even did it at A level. So when it comes to characters and, you know, making people laugh, it comes naturally, because I think I was really good at drama. And I did music as well. So I can play a few instruments if you set me down and said you have to. but, you know, It's been a while since I've played a few instruments, but if you sat me down and said, normally you have to play the piano, I'd be like, okay, remind me again where A is and I'll probably will come back again.
So essentially with PhD Hard talk, the way I've tried to communicate because I know that on LinkedIn, there's a bit of a stigma and people have a way of viewing what professional is. And this comes from my HR background, because I want to say, okay, you say that employees are unprofessional, tell me what professional is. And usually, Most people can't quantify what professional is. And when they say it, it's quite generalistic. And I say, okay, so where is that in the culture of the organization? Help me see it. What is professionalism? What does this business say about professionalism? So I understand, then we can speak to the employee. and say that's our code of conduct. So essentially with PhD Hardtalk, because I had feedback, I was meant to almost collaborate with a company and they said to me, we can't work with you because you're not professional. They said it comes across like a skit and I said that's all right, on your way out, that's okay.
And I said, but before you go, explain to me what professional is. So that I know for future, then if somebody comes back and says to me, this is not professional, then I can put them in that box and say, that's the box that I don't want to work in, because I understand that the PhD journey is difficult. And sometimes when I read some of the comments that I get back, or some of the videos from my other colleagues on TikTok as well and Instagram, I relate. You know, when it comes to deadlines, I relate to when I don't love my PhD, I relate to that. Or when you have to go and do a teaching gig and you've got deadlines, I relate to that because I'm going through it myself. So essentially, with communication, I wanted it to be organic and I wanted it to reflect a PhD student's life and also my professional side, which we've never managed to merge together perfectly.
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How Noma is sharing her HR expertise with her audience
Noma Mguni:
What I do is I try and have little videos every now and then whereby I share advice on thinking about your career, your salary and remembering that you're a woman because I too am a woman
The skin tone's on top and some people might come back and say, no, no, that's not right. People see what they initially. My Experience, I would say woman and then skin tone after. A lot of people might beg to differ with that. I'm not sure if that answers your question.
Eleonore:
It absolutely answered my question because I really do think that you are outstanding in role modeling authenticity. like I said, I'm 10 years older than you. I've been always working in IT, career coach in consulting companies, and I'm sick of seeing the same people always.
And the same people is not just skin color. It's not just age. It's the merge of everything that is always the same behavior.
My own children are not ready for university, but once they enter university, I want to let them know that they don't have to change in order to be successful, but they have to find the right setting, the right company where they can be successful, where they are recognized, where they are appreciated because of being them, because they can make a difference.
And the seasoned leaders that I see nowadays, they do the same that they have been Taught in their lives, in their professional life, in their socialization, which is okay because that has brought them so far. But I think the future of work requires something else, and it requires being true to oneself and to know one self's worth.
And to be confident about that and not, change oneself to be fitting into a mold. And that's why I'm really curious about your offerings in terms of how do you coach and mentor senior managers from different industries who want to be themselves and not fit into the mold?
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[00:20:22] Coaching and Mentoring for Career Growth
Noma Mguni:
So, usually with, the contract work that I do, I coach managers, in terms of day to day behaviors, conduct, be it bias, stereotype, and also in regards to their own careers as well. Most people, they wait for their line managers to essentially say, well, we think now you're ready for a step up. You know when you're ready. and they will then say, this is your salary. We think you deserve 5 percent more because you did well on this project, If you want to learn new skills, for example, you want to be a better communicator and you want to present more.
But when they say no, you now know that they don't have your best interest. I always say, do you read the book Who Moved My Cheese, and when you read that book, you realize politics as well. Because sometimes with the way we've touched on it in terms of globalization and new AI and all this stuff that's coming up, a lot of businesses are downsizing and some of the conversations you're not privy to depend on where you are in the company. when they know that there'll be downsizing, they might say no to you because of budget restraints and anything else that comes into it, but also because they fear that you will go into their position because somebody behind closed doors has started the currency of mentioning your name.
To say that person, they're multi skilled, so even if we were to move this and do A, B, C, D, they could cover that, so we get our money's worth and we increase the salary. and they will block you and frustrate you and when you act up they say look so unprofessional. So I said you have to have that mindset whereby you know that a business is people as you said and they have emotions. But understand a business needs to sustain itself as well.
So from money side, being competitive in the market and knowing what's going on in terms of companies coming into that country to invest as well. So you have to have that awareness and understand, and I say this, you might disagree that you are a brand. And when you know that you are a brand, You have to work on your brand worthiness and build yourself up so that you always add value. Even if you say, I am going to leave, they'll say, no, we need that person. So they'll be willing to work with you to enable you to stay and also to work on your, if it's career goals, maybe you just want more money. Some people want money. Some people want a title. just, so that you have it, so you can show off to your friends, who knows what makes you smile or what makes you happy.
Noma Mguni:
When I'm coaching different individuals, we all have different needs and different wants, but the reality is there's red tape everywhere, If you get into an organization and they're playing rugby. You have to play rugby to stay in that company. You can't play, table tennis. Otherwise you're gone. And all they need to do, is build a dossier up and work with hr and next thing you are on garden leave, depending on where you. On the ladder, or, they're giving you, some paperwork to sign and they'll pay you for three months, six months, depending on your notice, and you are gone essentially. So I don't know if that answers your question, but I've tried to paint a picture.
Eleonore:
Absolutely, Noma, and I totally agree in the sense of I try to teach my students as well, you have to know the name of the game. And you have to learn the rules. These are the set rules, and once you understand them, you can bend the rules, but it's still the rules, it's not something else. And if you don't like the game, it's up to you to leave the field discover or even create a new playing field that is maybe more even or more equal, everything that you are missing, but you still have to learn the name of the game first.
Noma Mguni:
Mm-Hmm.
Eleonore:
All right, cool.
[00:25:43] Managing Multiple Roles and Projects
Eleonore:
Again, I would love to switch gears and to talk about your various activities and efforts in your PhD project and your research management Skills, because you do a PhD hard talk and still do your research and be a coach. So, how do you manage that? Are there any tools that you can recommend to us, especially for scientists leaping into business who are maybe thinking about creating a side business?
And then they will definitely have to learn managing their activities. So what are your recommendations?
Noma Mguni:
So I think it starts with person before we get to the projects themselves. you have to know what you want and you have to see the value and you have to understand that you might not be able, going back to the games, you might not be able to go and use this language, which is probably bad. Play with your friends all the time because you're busy, essentially. so with my life, I'm filming content, I'm being interviewed or I'm interviewing people, planning the interviews and planning the content itself because The content just doesn't appear. You have to sit down and work out, different scenarios for each season because of the algorithms and everything. AI plays a big role in it as well.
So with each project, be it university and my work life and my personal life, my friend laughed at me and he said, you're not ready to be a wife because to go on a date you have to check your diary. I'm available in three weeks. Can you spare two hours? And he was like, that doesn't work. He said, you're not ready. I said, but that's my diary. And he goes, no. So if I said, can you meet up with me? You can't. I said, I can't because I've checked my diary. You know, essentially. So that is my life. So there's a lot of sacrifice that goes into it.
So, it's the time management and the project management. It requires, discipline. It requires patience towards yourself and to everybody around you, because you might not be able to make it to all these events, weddings, birthdays, etc. Sometimes You're burnt out. That's it, period. You're just burnt out.
You have no energy. To answer your question, in terms of my project, with university, there's Trinka.AI, that I've worked with. they've asked me, to review their services. I try new things as the platform is growing as well and developing itself. That helps me with my grammar.
Spelling and also checking to see, if I've plagiarized, et cetera. The service is good for me in terms of my thesis, my abstracts, or any papers, developmental papers for any conferences. That has been my best friend. So we are together like this. So that's Trinka.AI I've got Loomslides as well. The company is really good.
Pitch decks for entrepreneurs. If you want a really exciting pitch deck, loom slides is your place to go again. So also when I'm guest lecturing as well, so the templates already there, just input all my information. So easy. it's accessible. You can use it anywhere in the world. they're from Europe. no complaints there in terms of my slides, hopefully that answers.
Eleonore:
Absolutely answered my question. And so I'll be looking into these apps as well, because I haven't heard about them.
Noma Mguni:
You haven't heard of them because they're startups. The reason why I'm working with startups is because I understand the pain of being a startup when nobody knows you and you have to make a name out of yourself. And that is the reason why, because I looked at the services where they fit for purpose for Noma Mguni and also PhD Hardtalk, and it was double ticked.
Because with my work, sometimes I work out on my phone, so Trinca AI, you can get the app, so my thesis, I can read it while I'm in the train when I'm commuting, fit for purpose in that way and with Loom as well, so I can just access it on my phone.
I mean, most apps you can, but I can send the message. It's a quick response and I've met the people on, teams to have the conversation, so I feel like I am a part of the Growth Journey, if that makes sense.
Eleonore:
That's interesting. Let's get back to you.
[00:30:17] Future Plans and Audience of PhD HARDtalk
Eleonore:
And what are your plans for the future? Because I know that you are pushing PhD Hardtalk as a business, and you're probably looking also for partnerships. So I want to know, Noma, why should sponsors work with you? And, who is the audience of PhD Hard Talk?
Noma Mguni:
PhD Hardtalk is my little baby, but it's no longer my baby because it belongs to everybody now. It's everybody's baby essentially. Why should you work with PhD HARDtalk? Surprisingly enough, it's based on data and research. it's businesses that look into, PhD HARDtalk. It's not really PhD students or postdoc students that we thought would be our audience and universities.
It's the actual businesses themselves. And then you have the researchers, but usually they're clinicians. And then you have the marketing colleagues that have come up as well, which is the third group at the bottom. I would like to think they like the way I market PhD Hardtalk, but we might say that's not true, but that's the reason that I'm going to share and say, they love the way PhD Hardtalk's marketing is so good. That's why, they look into PhD Hardtalk. And in terms of why should you work with PhD Hardtalk? I think I'm authentic.
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[00:33:09] Marketing Strategies and Challenges the Right Industry and Role
Eleonore:
The marketing people, they probably love how you are breaking into the market in the sense of the For You page on TikTok really is for people who don't know you.
And still you managed to grow on that platform in a way, because you are not just talking, you're not just relating to PhD students, but you are relating to so many human needs.
Noma Mguni:
Yeah. Thank you very much. I appreciate that. with the marketing, it has been a strange one because. There are so many trends and you know go on a sound that can literally push the videos, but what we decided to do and I don't think, for those who actually follow PhD HARDtalk, they realize we stopped following the sounds.
We actually put the PhD HARDtalk videos from YouTube so we dropped and we were actually getting the traction would be like 350, 100, 66 sometimes, but we did that strategically just for people to understand that PhD Hardtalk is also a YouTube channel.
Now what happened on YouTube and what happened on Twitter out of that is that the numbers absolutely went up, so I think on Twitter were 8, 000 followers, if I'm correct, and then with YouTube we were stuck at like a hundred Followers in terms of subscribers. Now that's gone up as well to reach now we're at 900 and the watch time as well essentially gone up as well. So that strategy on TikTok pushed people to actually go on X, which is Twitter, and also to go on YouTube. But now to rebuild, TikTok and we have to start the journey again. So that's why I was saying with time management and using all these, project planners like Monday, et cetera, the reality is it takes more time to sit down and think, what are we willing to sacrifice because.
[00:35:14] The Importance of Authenticity in Knowledge Sharing
Noma Mguni:
I've been told, put some lipstick on, for your videos. And I'm like, I'm not selling makeup. I'm selling knowledge. It's difficult to sell knowledge.
Eleonore:
I'm laughing for a very relatable reason, but you go on.
Noma Mguni: I'm not selling the face. I'm not selling body. This is pure knowledge. I can't make it look beautiful. You have to be interested in the knowledge, essentially. And those are some of the comments that I do receive. And people are like, why are you not wearing those outfits? I'm like, I would dress the way I dress usually, which is either in a tracksuit bottom. or in my uniform, which is my wet clothes, which is a dress and a jacket. And I said, that's it because I'm not going out to dinner.
Why am I doing, lifestyle and doing all these things? It doesn't compute because I want people to hear what I'm saying. But then you have some really amazing people like yourself with the content that you do share from when you started, as you said, because I was there during that journey.
And I use some of your hashtags as well on TikTok, if you remember, so that we could. Get the same views because we were only talking and I felt like you're my friend, but maybe that's just in my head. Who knows? It's, it's a difficult journey when it comes to marketing and to get some of the businesses to buy into what you're doing.
Like I said, you have certain people who have views and they'll say, well, I want you to work on this project. This is how I want it to be. And then you say, well, that is not actually going to work because when you want to capture people, you need like 30 seconds of good, Don't drag it out. I know usually with people, they will say, oh, if you want to heal yourself, let me tell you a story.
And then they'll tell you at the end. I said, no, you have to tell them in the beginning. And then we got to the end. Let's make them laugh at the end. Maybe they will stay and watch the video. Let's try and change the narrative in terms of how we do marketing, because people need to remember who you are. And when they're loyal to what you're selling, then it makes the journey much easier. But I'm not a marketing, expert I'm just a girl who did drama, who wants to share knowledge essentially. So put the lipstick on
Eleonore: LOL, I'm laughing for a very relatable reason, even when I'm going out, I wear the same things. So this is my natural me. There's nothing fake. I don't have time for that to play a role,
Noma Mguni: Neither do I.
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Encouraging you to be you!
Eleonore:
That is an important message, is there anything else that you want to share with our audience? And I know that we are sharing also the hashtags, so Project Dissemination To The World PHDHardtalk, and PostdocTransformation.
Noma Mguni: I think what I would love to share, is, we are just normal people, who came up with ideas and we saw the value in our ideas and we know that the people that actually respond back, they see the value in our ideas, which is very entrepreneurial because that's all you need. You need somebody to buy into it and essentially our appeal to you today is If you're a business and you see the value in what we do, because we have so much experience and expertise, now I'm speaking for both of us, feel free to get in contact because the work that we put into the YouTube, this interview, it is a lot of work, we love it.
It's not because we're looking for money. We need money. But that's just a transaction. This we enjoy and we know that with the information, because we sell knowledge, we know it impacts businesses, it impacts communities, it impacts the youth, third generation way below, and impacts the decision makers.
Because sometimes they stumble upon our videos on TikTok and we've received messages where we go, I didn't thank you for my TikTok. Oh, wow. Thank you. And, and sometimes, we can't mention names, but we are like, you know, I see you as a celebrity. You saw my video. And it's not that we're cloud chasing and we don't even mention it to people.
It's because we know the value of what we're doing and we're okay with our steady growth, but we also need that bit of, boost if you think this is, a business that I want to work with, or the individual that I want to work with. And Professor Eleonore has students, so they're looking for work.
So, if you think what we're doing is essential for the communities, feel free to contact us. And we are borderless as well. That is the best part. And we don't belong to the universities. That is the best part as well. So get in contact.
Eleonore:
Absolutely, I can just echo you and we've got all the contact details in the show notes, so here. And then I hope that you will tune in and subscribe to PhDHardtalk on YouTube, on Twitter, wherever you get your video podcasts. And also to my show, the Postdoc Transformation Show, for scientists leaping into business.
And I really appreciate your focus on being entrepreneurial, Noma, because I really do think that this is a missing content piece in the PhD journey and at graduate schools. I was never taught to be thinking entrepreneurial, right?
Never was a professor trusting me with a budget. Which is strange because that would be something that you could delegate so that the students know the very few limited resources that we have and that we have to make more out of that limited capacities.
I built my PostdocTransformation as a digital business, and I chose ActiveCampaign to be the centerpiece of all my services like email cores, podcasts, newsletters, show notes, websites, sales page, merch shop, forms, whatever it is, as needed. As a former IT strategy consultant, I have high requirements on my tech stack, and ActiveCampaign is a must have recommendation.
I use it daily. If you want to create your own digital business with various lead markets and funnel options, DM or email me ActiveCampaign so I can share my experience and consult you. You can also use my affiliate links for perks launching your own digital business with ActiveCampaign.
[00:42:23] Navigating Red Tape in Academia and Industry
Eleonore:
And I think part of the drama that really comes out of the PhD journey is because we don't know how to sell ourselves into a better job.
Noma Mguni:
Essentially, yes.
Eleonore:
And that's your show and my show that will help to make a difference.
Noma Mguni:
And, the reality is, if we look at a lot of PhD and postdoc individuals, they have such amazing ideas. They want to start their businesses, but they're not taught the basics in terms of people. I've worked in HR for so long, I've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. That's why I say what I say. PhD and postdocs, they understand red tape and they think that industry doesn't have red tape, but there is red tape everywhere. It doesn't matter where you work.
There is always red tape because everybody has a boss and whatever the boss at the top, top, top says, that's it. And if there's an agenda and we get into groupthink and we're pushing for that, that is what happens. And something that you've mentioned there, we're not really taught to manage our finances.
We're not really taught to manage our time, but we're expected to get it done. Some people are proactive. We can get it done. Some people need to go through the learning for that. And. When we look at, I think the first person I ever interviewed, who was Alex, he said, I'm leaving. I'm done. I'm not doing academia. So much red tape. I was willing to spend my own money. The university said, no, my friend was willing to do that. They said, no, I'm done. I'm going to industry. I haven't interviewed him yet. And I said, I would give him time. Hopefully we can have a conversation in the near future to talk about the red tape in industry because I came from industry and I said, I'm done with the politics.
I am done. I'm a woman. I've suffered. I've knocked on every door. How dare they? And I realized I'm black while I was working. I didn't know how black I was, right? All of that drama. And then I've got into academia. I said, wow, the politics is who you know, and a bit of what you know.
What do you actually want to do with your life, Noma? Do you want to stay in industry? Are you staying in academia? Are you doing both? Or do you just want to be in your little house and just rock, backwards and forwards? What do you actually want to do? Because I've realized it's the people, like you say, in terms of emotional intelligence, our behaviors, our conduct, and also some people, they just like money.
So they'll do anything for money, even if it hurts you and they'll come back and apologize after. Some people just like fame, it's a catch 22, but we learn to navigate through all of these challenges and the journey becomes more rewarding than the actual, end part in terms of your goal, if that makes sense.
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Eleonore:
Absolutely agree. Yeah, it really is a learning. And like you, I spent years in academia, leaped into industries. And after a couple of years being in industries, and I was surprised how happy I was. Dr. Eleonore Soei Winkels, Podbean, ActiveCampaign, Descript, Squadcast, TypeForm,
Try to become a professor at an applied university where I knew that, there I would have the space to be the professor that I want to be. role modeling a new type of professor who can be a mom of young children. I did breastfeeding until 16 and 13 months. So all of my students at that time were absolutely aware that I am not available for them every two or three hours.
It is important to understand that the red tape is everywhere. And that's like what we just discussed about the names of the game.
[00:47:33] Entrepreneurial Insights and Final Thoughts
Eleonore:
Okay, Noma, let's wrap up this episode and I'm sure that my audience wants you to come back for another season. But for now, is there anything that you want to say?
Noma Mguni:
So, I think it's difficult to have one thing to say, but there's a lot to say, essentially. And I think the first thing first is thank you to everybody that literally watches or listens to our content and goes on our website, reads our blogs. Participate, whichever way. That is the first thing. And number two is to say, share the content with your friends, family, colleagues at work.
Because between the two of us, there's so much wealth of knowledge here. As I've said, I've worked with people and I don't think I like people, but you have somebody who writes papers. Over here and publishes, teaches, does everything and also understands what it is to be an entrepreneur and what it is to go out in this big, bad world as a mother, as an auntie, not a grandparent yet, But, not yet, we're getting there. But for somebody who understands how difficult it is to be an entrepreneur in this space, and this current space whereby there's so much inflation. Businesses are tight with their purses and organisations are thinking about crushing the little small businesses the best way that they can, the bigger ones, because people are going to start going local now.
That's the new trend. Buy from the farmer down the street than go to a big supermarket if there is a farmer down the street. That's the way we're going now because everything's so expensive and in the UK we can blame Brexit. But the actual reality is, there's much going on. It's not even Brexit at this moment in time. What I'm trying say is we appreciate everything that you do for us, just as being an audience and also the companies that have approached us who are really serious, who want to work with us and there's something exciting that Professor Eleonore is doing and I would throw it in there, which is in the pharmaceutical industry.
If you are a pharmaceutical company and are looking for somebody to help you to open the doors that you are struggling with, be it collaboration with universities, collaborating in local industry, Professor Eleonore is the lady to go to, because she has those links and it's going to be exciting coming into Q3 in terms of the pharmaceutical industry because, like I said, the cost of living is going up, so that means some of us will be depressed, some of us will be stressed, that means be getting a lot more prescriptions than usual, so the industry is going to be booming. the time for you to spend in terms of your marketing getting your brand out there in terms of the pharmaceutical industry.
Noma Mguni: And coming back to me, any companies that want to work with me,
let's have a conversation. And I think that's about it. Subscribe to PhD Hard Talk on YouTube. That's Noma Mguni!
Eleonore: And Eleonore Soei Winkels,
Noma Mguni: No, I love it!
Eleonore: Sliding in. Wow, awesome. Thank you so much, Noma. It was really, really a pleasure.
Noma Mguni: No, I
Eleonore: A long time coming.
Noma Mguni: A long time coming, literally. I'm happy and thank you so much.
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And even better, if you get us paid by your grad school, we will pay you 50 percent recurring sales commissions.
So, you will earn money with us as we help you and your PhD besties to [00:05:00] transition into business. We can build our PostdocTransformation together.
So, we are at the end of this episode, and I would love to have you, PostdocTransformers, to contribute to future seasons. We have a PostdocTransformation show newsletter where we inform about upcoming episodes, or we lay out the planning for the next seasons so that you are able to forecast who you want to ask as well as role models, or maybe you want to ask a couple of questions certain guest that is upcoming.
This PostdocTransformation show was brought to you by Prof. Dr. Eleonore Soei-Winkels
Leveraging Podcasting for Internal Communication
Eleonore:
Hey, you're still here and you are a future HR or talent management leader. Well, I want to talk to you about a powerful tool that can transform the way organizations communicate internally. How about creating a podcast like this one in today's fast paced business world? Effective communication is the cornerstone of success, so how can you engage your employees, convey your company's culture and share knowledge in a dynamic, authentic, and accessible way?
Well, to me, the answer lies in podcasting, obviously. So picture this, a podcast tailor made for your organization, where you and your real employees and leaders share and updates in a conversational, engaging format. It's like having your own radio show, but with a corporate twist, absolutely branded.
Now, why should you consider this as a future HR and talent management professional? Well, podcasts are accessible, so your employees can tune in during their daily commute while multitasking off screen or walking, and it's flexible and it can be easily repurposed in different formats and languages.You know what I'm talking about, right?
So, it actually humanizes your organization and podcasts allow you to bring a company's culture to life. You can interview leaders, team members, and highlight what makes your workplace unique and connect with those team members who are far away or on parental leave when they are most receptive for your internal communication.
And in the era of AI generated communications, a podcast with your business leaders in real life is a real human way to reach your employees. You can inform your people every day, everywhere, on demand, and not just during the typical onboarding and promotion seasons.
Lastly, it's a platform for continuous learning, whether it's training materials, leadership insights, or industry trends. Podcasts keep your team informed and inspired. So as you prepare to step into the world of HR, talent management and leadership, consider the impact you can make by introducing a corporate podcast.
It's a game changer for internal communications and aligns perfectly with a modern work environment. So, are you ready to inform with a human touch create a podcast with me. I'm Eleonore Soei-Winkels, the host of the PostdocTransformation Show. Do you need inspiration? Well, you can get a list of free 30 sample episode titles to be customized for your company.
Thank you for reading our full transcript of this episode.
For season 3 & 4 of the PostdocTransformation show, we will interview industry experts, leaders in the corporate world, but also companies serving early career scientists leaping into business.
If you want to let us know who we should interview and bring into the show, please follow us on socials and also let us know via direct message. This way, you will also have a voice in our PostdocTransformation show.
If you value our show, please share your favorite episodes with your PhD besties, share with us your career transition questions and suggest topics for future episodes.
We also appreciate positive reviews and stories on all social platforms.
Why?
Because this show is for free, but we need sponsors to bring the show to you. So, please help us to help you on your PostdocTransformation.
All right, thanks for listening and I hope that you will watch our show and also listen to our show for the next episodes. And like I said, go back to the previous episodes. I think they have valuable insights for you.
Please ask away your career transition questions (connect with Eleonore on your preferred social), as we aim to create future episodes for our audience. We appreciate every one of you!
Until the next episode,
Cheers,
Eleonore & Team PostdocTransformation
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